Law Courses Catalog

 

Description: Students participate directly in international environmental legal processes by preparing petitions and other documents for meetings of international conventions under the supervision of professors in the International Environmental Law Project (IELP). IELP’s practice focuses on climate change, international wildlife trade, trade and environment, and oceans and fisheries. Thus, IELP students may work on a wide range of projects relating to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), the International Whaling Commission, and other international treaties. IELP represents a range of clients, including environmental organizations, governments, and international institutions. During this course, practical skills development will include, among other topics, negotiation in an international context, treaty drafting, treaty interpretation, development and management of client relationships, oral advocacy in an international context, cultural competency, lobbying, and planning, development, and strategy regarding project/campaign/case development. The specific practical skills honed each semester depend on IELP’s docket, but as a matter of course, regardless of our docket, students can expect to deepen their research, problem solving, analytical, and writing skills.

Students may take this course as a one-semester option for three credits or a two-semester option for six credits. Each week, IELP students are expected to attend and participate in a 2-hour classroom component, meet with a supervising attorney for up to one hour, and work on about 9 hours outside of class on average each week on cases as assigned. The class meets on Fridays. To get students prepared to engage quickly, class on the first two Fridays of both Fall and Spring semesters will meet for 4 to 5 hours. There are no prerequisites, although International Environmental Law and Environmental Law are helpful even if taken concurrently. Grading is on a pass/no pass basis. The course qualifies as a Writing Intensive Experience (WIE) on a case-by-case basis.

A student must have the professors’ permission before registering for this course. To do so, students must submit an application for admission to the course. Please refer to IELP’s website for information on how to apply: http://go.lclark.edu/IELP. Students must register by submitting an application no later than May 2. Submit your application to Professor Erica Lyman at ejt@lclark.edu.

May meet WIE writing requirement on a case-by-case basis.

See also: IELP Website